Omagh was a film dramatising the events surrounding the
Omagh bombing and its aftermath, co-produced by
Irish state broadcaster
RTÉ and
UK network
Channel 4, and directed by
Pete Travis. It was first shown on television in both countries in June, 2004.
Michael Gallagher, whose son Aidan (Paul Kelly) was killed in the bombing, is played by
Gerard McSorley, originally from Omagh. Out of respect for the residents of Omagh, it was filmed on location in
Navan,
County Meath in the Republic of Ireland.
The film ends with the
Julie Miller song
Broken Things, which was performed by local singer
Juliet Turner at the memorial for the victims of the Omagh bombing.
Reception
Rotten Tomatoes reported that 88% of critics gave the film positive reviews, with an average score of 7.2/10, however this is based upon a sample of only 8 reviews. Critics particularly noted the gritty realism and powerful acting in the film. In his review, Scott Foundas of '
Variety magazine' said that it "serves as a companion piece to writer-producer Paul Greengrass' superb 2001 pic "
Bloody Sunday," but emerges as a startlingly powerful achievement in its own right".
Awards
The film won a number of awards. Most notably it won the 2005
BAFTA TV Award for 'Best Single Drama'. It also won a 'Discovery Award' at the 2004
Toronto International Film Festival. At the
Irish Film and Television Awards, the film won the awards for 'Best Irish Film' and 'Best Actor (Gerard McSorley)', and was...
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